How to Save Your Swimsuit from Turning into Trash

You are killing the sustainable fashion game- you only purchase items that you love and make sure they last. You know how to score the best secondhand steals and when to buy brand-new. You can spot a green-washed marketing campaign a mile away and many of your very favorite clothes used to be water bottles or fishing nets - like our recycled, reversible swimwear.

But what is a sustainable fashion guru to do when your very favorite swimsuit has been loved and worn to the point of no return?  

If you’re bored of a suit, no big deal! Give it a good hand wash and line dry then let it live a new life with someone else, whether you give it to a friend or donate it to a local thrift shop. 

But if a suit is past the point of no return (we’re talking mega holes, material stretched to the point of being see-through, and just a few seams holding the whole thing together) you’ve got better options than just tossing it in the trash - just ask Trash is for Tossers!

To be perfectly honest, dumping unwanted items in a trash can is 100% the easiest option. It’s the system currently set up, well, everywhere. You don’t want something anymore? Chuck it in the garbage and a truck will come and take it away forever!

But it’s glaringly obvious that there is no “away” on our planet. We talked about this in our piece on microplastics - it takes centuries for plastic to break down, and even then those tiny bits of broken down plastic fill our waterways and food systems.

Our swimwear is 78% recycled material and 22% spandex. The recycled textile that makes up most of all our swimsuits is ECONYL®, a regenerated Nylon fabric made of recaptured nylon that would otherwise take up space on our planet as pure waste. The spandex is a necessity and, when properly taken care of, can be equally eco-friendly.

Caption: All credit to https://www.dctuk.com/blog/econyl

So here’s the current guidebook on what to do when your Tiller Swim suit is less like something you would wear to the pool and more like something your new puppy found and destroyed (RIP):

1. Invest in a TerraCycle Zero Waste Box. This is your new trash can for everything you can’t donate, recycle, or compost! We’re not gonna lie, it’s more expensive than the dumpster. But it’s more than worth it, as it is the beginning of the circular economy we all need to keep our society and planet healthy and thriving.
   
   
2. Keep taking care of what you have. This is the easiest way to save money in the long haul (less replacements!) and give you a sense of pride in your style.
   
   
3. Shop quality over quantity. Whether you love a minimalist capsule wardrobe or have a “the more-the-merrier” approach to your looks, nothing is more important than only spending money (and closet space!) on pieces you can see yourself wearing years into the future. Once you take on the responsibility of what happens to your clothes not only when they’re in your repertoire but also when they are no longer wearable, you’ll realize the freedom of not having to deal with items you only wore a handful of times.

Have any sustainable clothing disposal hacks we should know about? Comment below!

by Rachel Burcham | August 20, 2020